Dry shampoo seems like such a great invention. Just think of how many hours a week people used to spend on washing, blow-drying, and styling their hair before they had to run out the door and sit in traffic, praying for a miracle that gets them into their office chair by 8:00 AM.
Times have changed since then. Not only are more people working from home, but now we have products like dry shampoo that save us so much time, allowing us to sleep in later and stress less in the morning. It’s almost too good to be true. And maybe it is.
A few years ago, just as dry shampoos became a staple in most women’s post-workout and pre-work routines, social media started buzzing with alarming posts about women going bald or losing hair in patches as a result of dry shampoo.
People started wondering if perhaps the miraculous product really was too good to be true.
So, does dry shampoo cause hair loss? Studies show that overused dry shampoo can lead to some hair loss and hair breakage. Some long-term effects of overusing it can also inhibit new hair growth. But this doesn’t mean you need to toss your bottle of dry shampoo into the trash.
There are ways to use dry shampoo safely. The problem is that most people are overusing the product, leaving it in their hair for too long, and not paying attention to the ingredients.
In this post, we will explain what exactly causes dry shampoo to harm your hair, how to avoid it, and what to do if the harm has already been done.
How Does Dry Shampoo Work?
This might be news to some, but dry shampoo doesn’t actually clean your hair. Calling it shampoo is a misnomer.
Dry shampoo is a product that usually comes in aerosol form and sprays alcohols and starch powders onto your hair, which causes the natural oils in your hair to be absorbed and visually minimized.
The oil and dirt don’t go anywhere, they are just masterfully masked by the ingredients in the dry shampoo. To mask them even further and give you a freshly washed scent, most dry shampoos also contain strong fragrances.
We like to think of dry shampoo as more of a hair freshener rather than a hair cleaner. Sort of like applying deodorant on your pits after a workout – the sweat is still there, it’s just a little less noticeable.
The active ingredients most commonly found in dry shampoos are alcohol, talc powder (which isn’t great to be breathing in, so we always recommend wearing a mask or covering your face when spraying dry shampoo), rice starch, corn starch, and petroleum gas.
Some dry shampoos come in powder or paste form, which makes them a little safer for the environment since they don’t use aerosol.
You probably already know that dry shampoo can be drying for your hair – with ingredients like alcohol and talc – it’s not hard to guess.
Most people don’t experience any problems from dry shampoo, maybe a little dryness and irritation here and there, but nothing terrible. However, using it too often over time can lead to poorer scalp health and hair breakage, which gives hair a thinner and less healthy appearance.
Why Dry Shampoo Can Cause Hair Loss
So what is it about dry shampoo that can cause hair loss? It’s a combination of multiple factors that all play together. Let’s go over them:
1. Alcohol
Dry shampoo often contains alcohols, which are great for reducing the appearance of oil and killing bacteria but comes with a cost. Alcohol can be extremely drying to the hair.
It’s important to remember that some alcohols are safe to use on hair, but the ones most commonly used in dry shampoos don’t belong to that group.
“Bad alcohols” include ethanol alcohol, ethyl alcohol, propanol alcohol, alcohol denat, isopropyl alcohol, isopropanol alcohol, and benzyl alcohol.
These alcohols are small enough to penetrate the hair shaft and tend to suck out the moisture in your hair that your hair needs to maintain flexibility and strength.
When hair becomes too dry, it experiences split ends, frizz, and breakage. And since most people spray their dry shampoo near the roots, the breakage can happen right at the root, causing you to experience significant hair loss.
2. Clogged Follicles
Using dry shampoo doesn’t remove the dirt and oils; it just makes them less visible.
Think of how kitty litter absorbs liquids and forms little clumps – that’s sort of how the powders in your dry shampoo (rice starch and talc, for example) behave when they absorb your natural oils. They form little clumps that can get stuck on your hair follicles, clogging up the pores of your scalp.
Clogged hair follicles can become irritated. You can experience some burning, redness, bumps, and even scaly, flaky skin. All of these things are signs of poor scalp health.
Unfortunately, when your scalp is in a constant state of stress and inflammation, new hair growth slows down, and you might even experience more shedding than usual. Combined with the breakage you might be seeing from the drying ingredients, it can make your mane become more and more lackluster.
3. Fragrance
Dry shampoos rely on a lot of fragrance to mask the smell of dirty hair and its own ingredients. Much like the alcohols that we mentioned earlier, fragrances tend to be drying and damaging to the hair.
There are some debates on whether synthetic fragrances can contribute to hair loss or not. Because dryness is common with fragrances, it makes sense that too overusing products with fragrances can lead to more breakage and split ends.
Some fragrances can also be irritating, depending on their composition. Imagine putting an irritant on an already angry and inflamed scalp – that can’t be good for the hair. The more your scalp suffers, the more likely you are to shed hair and experience a slow-down in new healthy growth.
4. Talc Powder
Talc powder is an ingredient that has gotten into hot water lately. Talc was found to be connected to some instances of ovarian cancer. While there isn’t any direct proof that talc powder can cause it, health experts advise women not to put talc powder anywhere near their genital region.
But can talc cause any damage to your hair? It’s unclear. Talc is a common ingredient in dry shampoo because much like starch powders, it does a great job at absorbing oils and making your hair look cleaner in an instant.
But talc can also clog your pores and block your hair follicles, contributing to more irritation and overall poor scalp health. While talc doesn’t cause hair loss per-se, it can contribute to the type of environment that leads to shedding and slower growth.
5. Reduced Washing
It’s no question that introducing dry shampoo to your routine leads to a reduction in hair washing – after all, that’s the whole point.
And while over-washing your hair can be a bad thing, under-washing your hair can cause harm too.
Your hair health depends on your scalp health, and the scalp needs to be regularly cleaned in order to stay healthy. That’s how dead skin cells shed and how new growth happens. When you stop regularly washing your hair, you end up with dandruff, fungal infections, and clogged follicles, all of which can lead to hair loss.
As you can see, there are a few factors that can contribute to hair loss, some of which are triggered by the ingredients in dry shampoo.
How To Prevent Hair Loss From Dry Shampoo
Still tempted to reach for your dry shampoo? We get it. It can save you so much snooze time in the morning, it’s worth it. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself from some of the damage:
Avoid Alcohol-Based Dry Shampoos
The first step you can take is to buy a dry shampoo that is less drying. The most drying ingredients in dry shampoo are the alcohols. You can find alcohol-free dry shampoo if you look at the ingredients list.
We recommend trying this dry shampoo from Hair Dance. Not only is it alcohol-free, but it is also free from animal testing, parabens, sulfates, silicones, phtalates, DEAs, artificial fragrances, artificial dyes, and petroleum. Now that’s what we call a clean dry shampoo!
Try to avoid products that contain the following alcohols:
- Ethanol alcohol
- Ethyl alcohol
- Propanol alcohol
- Alcohol denat
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Isopropanol alcohol
- Benzyl alcohol
Dry shampoos that are advertised as natural usually don’t contain alcohol. You can also look for a dry shampoo that doesn’t come in an aerosol spray bottle. Powder and paste dry shampoos are typically alcohol-free, but these are harder to apply.
Here’s a tutorial from The Hair Lounge By Angelina Schofield on applying powder dry shampoo to your hair so you can see the differences.
Reduce Frequency
Pay attention to how often you use your dry shampoo. Dry shampoo is not meant to be used regularly. If you’re using it several days in a row to extend the time between your shampooings – you might be causing more harm than good.
Try reducing your dry shampoo use to under two times per week. Anything over that is considered excessive and can be damaging to the scalp according to experts.
If you notice that your hair is getting too greasy between washes, try washing your hair more often but doing it in the evening. This will still save you time in the morning, but your hair will be nice and fresh when you go out the door.
You could also try getting creative with updos and hair accessories that disguise any oiliness, allowing you to go another day without washing your hair or putting dry shampoo on it.
Wash It Out
When you use dry shampoo, remember to wash it out as soon as possible. Either that evening or the next day. Not a week later.
This is because the longer your dry shampoo stays in your hair, the more damage it can cause. If you need to use some dry shampoo in the morning, it would be ideal if you washed it out that evening. Never let the dry shampoo sit in your hair for days at a time.
Wash Your Hair Regularly
Don’t forget that your hair still needs to be washed regularly in order for it to grow healthy and thick. You may have heard a lot of buzz about the damage too much washing can do, but remember that it applies to both extremes.
Too little washing leads to a lot of build-up on your scalp, clogged hair follicles, fungal infections, and other issues that you don’t want to be dealing with!
Washing your hair 2-3 times per week is a good compromise. If your hair feels dry, or you notice a lot of breakage, invest in a gentle sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfate-free shampoos can remove dirt and oils without drying your hair.
If your hair gets very oily between washes, causing you to itch for that dry shampoo fix, reconsider. It might be better to get a strong cleansing shampoo that fights oil than to over-use a dry shampoo that masks those oils while irritating your scalp.
Find a routine that works for your hair type and only use dry shampoo in emergencies.
Can Dry Shampoo Make You Go Bald?
While dry shampoo can cause some hair loss, it’s probably not going to make you go bald. Baldness can be genetic, or happen as a result of a disease or disorder. Some baldness is caused by certain medications.
But baldness is rarely brought on by a topical product.
Sure, you might lose some strands to breakage and shedding if you use too much dry shampoo, but you won’t go bald. Any shedding you experience from that type of product is reversible and will stop as soon as you stop using the culprit.
What To Do If It Happens To You
If you find yourself noticing a lot of hair loss and you suspect it might be caused by your dry shampoo, here’s what you should do:
- Stop using the dry shampoo. The only way to figure out if your dry shampoo is the culprit is by eliminating it from your routine for at least 2-3 weeks and seeing if you notice any improvement. If after 3 weeks you are still noticing the same level or hair loss, something else might be causing it and you should see a medical provider to eliminate anything serious.
- Check your scalp. If your dry shampoo has irritated and clogged up your scalp, you will need to treat it before you notice your hair growth going back to normal. Take a look at your scalp using a mirror. Do you notice any flaking, redness, bumps, or burning? Does it feel sensitive? You might need to use a scalp treatment or a scalp-friendly shampoo to reduce the irritation and clear it up.
- Invest in a good shampoo and conditioner. Get a gentle sulfate-free shampoo that repairs damaged hair and infuses it with moisture. You can look for products that contain hydrating plant oils and nut butters as well as proteins like keratin. These can speed up your hair recovery and help it grow back strong and thick.
- Scalp massage. There is some evidence to suggest that regularly massaging your scalp can bring blood flow to your hair follicles and help the hair grow faster and stronger. We are not sure if it’s true, but a good scalp massage never hurt anyone. Plus, it feels so good. Next time you’re washing your hair, spend a few minutes gently applying pressure to your scalp using your fingertips. Be careful not to pull on your hair.
Final Thoughts
Although dry shampoo is a great invention, the convenience might not be worth the pain. Most people won’t have too many problems from it, but in some people, it can cause shedding and breakage.
Try to limit your dry shampoo use to “emergency-only” situations and find a good hair washing routine that works well with your schedule instead.
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